First Meeting of the Consultative Group in preparation of the Sixth International Conference on Adult Education (CONFINTEA VI)

1-2 March 2007
Helsingor, Denmark

The meeting was organized in preparation of the Sixth International Conference on Adult Education (CONFINTEA VI), which will take place in 2009 in Brazil.

The meeting was organized around three topics:

The recognition of Adult Education (AE) as an important factor of lifelong learning.

The crucial role of adult education in achieving the Millennium Development Goals
(MDGs).

The need to move "from rhetoric to action".

The 2009 Conference will place a strong focus on rural people's education and training needs and opportunities, including agricultural extension, considered as a bridge between MDG 1 and 2.

CONFINTEA VI will be part of the series of global platforms for policy dialogue and advocacy on AE and learning which have been organized by UNESCO every twelve to thirteen years since 1949. The last CONFINTEA took place in Hamburg, Germany, in 1997.

The Consultative Group was composed by The UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning (UIL ), represents UNESCO's Member States, UN agencies (FAO, ILO UNICEF), development agencies, international or regional NGOs, academicians, the host country (Brazil); the Swiss Development Cooperation.

The meeting in Helsingor was the first "get-together" of the Consultative Group. It was hosted by the Danish Government.